Primary cause for move is school overcrowding

About 300 students from a north shore primary school could be moved to demountable classrooms at a neighbouring high school next year, as an emergency measure to alleviate overcrowding caused by surging enrolments.

The overflowing Chatswood Public School, which already has demountables in its car park, has welcomed the short-term fix.

Short-term fix: Children from Chatswood Public School would be moved to demountables on the oval of Chatswood High School to reduce overcrowding due to increased enrollments.

But parents at the high school fear taking on more students will exacerbate their own crowding problem and eat into the school's limited open space.

Children in years 3 and 4 from Chatswood Public School would be taught in 12 demountable classrooms built on the oval of Chatswood High School, which is located across the road, under the proposal detailed to parents in newsletters from the schools.

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Schools on the north shore have experienced an enrolment boom in recent years, with most of the public comprehensive primary and high schools at or near capacity. Parents are hoping there will be money in next Tuesday's state budget for significant school developments.

The vice-president of the Chatswood High School Parents and Citizens Association, Debra Talbot, said the school already over capacity. ''Basically it comes down to moving students from an overcrowded public school to an overcrowded high school,'' she said.

''When Chatswood High students are out in break times, there is simply not enough ground space for them … It's impossible for kids to have a game of soccer on the oval because that's the only place for kids to go and sit and eat their lunch or walk around.''

The vice-president of the Northern Sydney Council of P&Cs, Steph Croft, said the plan is a good move towards remedying the capacity crisis.

''It's a short-term option and there needs to be proper master planning for both the primary school and the high school,'' she said. ''But it's a far superior option to sticking young children among office workers in an office block, and late last year that's what they were looking at.''

In addition to the classrooms, the ''bush campus'' plan includes an administration block, toilets, a covered outdoor learning area and play areas.

In a school newsletter last week, Chatswood High School principal Sue Low assured parents there would be clear delineation between the two schools.

''It is important that both schools maintain their integrity as separate but collegial,'' she said.

The Department of Education and Communities did not respond when contacted for comment.